Dear Editor:
The results of Round 1 of the Mayoral Race have made one thing absolutely clear – Hobokenites want “Change” not rhetoric. And in Round 2 there is a very clear choice between candidates with different explanations of how Hoboken got into a financial calamity, and with different visions for the future.
Electing Dawn Zimmer will mean a new “green” start; a thoughtful plan for slow growth based on a bottoms-up community needs assessment, respect for our various distinct neighborhoods, and a commitment to open space; an austerity budget and a 25 per cent reduction of municipal taxes in the first year; close collaboration with the Board of Education to develop a master plan to improve our schools so families stay; transparency about the hospital and a plan to revert it to a not-for-profit and get the city off the $52 million bond guarantee.
Electing Peter Cammarano will be an extension of the failed Russo/Roberts history of uncontrolled growth and total capitulation to the developers. No master plan. No additional open space. Keeping the hospital as a city-owned entity. An arms length relationship with the Board of Education.
Mr. Cammarano will continue looking back, saying if only the Council had approved the ‘08 budget he voted for, everything would be OK. Well, here are the facts.
The recently approved Certified Financial Audit * for FY ‘08 cites significant deficiencies: inadequate overall control design; absence of appropriate segregation of duties consistent with appropriate control objectives; inadequate procedures for adequately assessing and applying accounting principles; evidence that employees or management lack the qualifications and training to fulfill their assigned functions; and failure of controls designed to safeguard assets from loss, damage, or misappropriation.
“The 2009 budget is balanced……but does include the deferral of $3.2 million of pension expenses.” “The City has a $20 million cash flow cash flow note that matures in August 2009, evidencing on-going liquidity pressures.”
“Moody’s believes while the city is not currently providing the hospital an operating subsidy, the hospital’s poor operations (loss of $11 million in ‘08), and the city’s debt guarantee, make the city vulnerable to such requests in the future.” “The Guarantee of the hospital’s $52 million of hospital debt represents a very real possibility the city could be required to pay and as such, put additional pressure on the city.” *
Finally, State Fiscal Monitor Tripodi refuses to release the Operational Audits of City departments. One can only conclude that the picture is so bleak that “they” don’t want the Council or Community to see them before the election process is over.
So let’s have a real discussion of all the issues that will affect Hoboken’s future: neighborhood preservation; budget and taxes; growth and development; improving education; and the hospital.
Let’s make sure the voters get a comprehensive picture of the differing Zimmer and Cammarano visions for Hoboken.
Zimmer in a knockout!
Jonathan M. Metsch, Dr. P.H.
Hoboken
* MOODY’S ASSIGNS Baa3 RATING TO THE CITY OF HOBOKEN MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL AUTHORITY’S $9.7 MILLION CITY GUARANTEED HOSPITAL REVENUE BONDS, SERIES 2009.(April 21, 2009).
Note: this letter represents the personal opinion of Dr. Metsch and not that of any organization with which he is affiliated